Pro-Palestine demonstrations are planned outside the stadium where Ed Sheeran is set to perform on Saturday after Macklemore being dropped from the tour sparked widespread backlash.
All of the opening acts for Sheeran’s ongoing The Loop tour announced their withdrawal from remaining dates after Macklemore, real name Benjamin Haggerty, was removed from the lineup over comments he made about Gaza.
Sheeran’s backing band Beoga also pulled out of the tour, saying in an Instagram post that they "fully supported" the message shared by Macklemore.
The 35-year-old English musician launched his tour in Auckland, New Zealand, in January. It is scheduled to end in Mexico City in December, with 18 dates still remaining throughout North and South America.
Sheeran’s next concert is scheduled in Philadelphia on Saturday evening. Tickets are currently being offered for as low as $76 (£56.95) amid the fallout.
Prior to that performance, local pro-Palestinian groups stated that they will stage protests outside the venue, Lincoln Financial Field.
In a statement posted on Instagram, The Philly Palestine Coalition and Shut Down D& detailed plans to "take to the streets to return the conversation to Palestine, and return Philadelphia to action".
Starting ticket prices for his subsequent concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts, increase to $112 (£83.83) for the Sept. 25 show.
While Sheeran’s twin performances in Hollywood, Florida, on Oct. 29 and 30, currently feature minimum advertised ticket rates of $339 (£254), pricing drops once again for his final US appearance in Tampa on Nov. 7.
Tickets for that performance are being sold from a minimum of $87 (£65).
For the tour's concluding show in Mexico City, ticket costs presently start at a minimum of 3,550 pesos, or £154.
Among the musical acts who have withdrawn from Sheeran’s tour are Irish artist Aaron Rowe, Grammy-winning musician Finneas, who is Billie Eilish’s brother, alongside Danish singer Lukas Graham.
On Monday, Macklemore shared a post on Instagram claiming Sheeran and his management had "made the decision to remove" him from the Loop Tour.
Responding on the social media network Tuesday, Sheeran said that the rapper's removal from the tour was the promoter’s call rather than his own.
He said "upcoming tour dates had communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting", adding that Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft, whose venue was scheduled to host a show, was among those objecting.
Sheeran wrote: "I am not complicit.
"I have my personal views on this devastating conflict.
"Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care.
"Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own personal way."
The Shape Of You singer stated he was "appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine", and noted that he respected Macklemore "as an artist".
